'I think people can figure out which side Mark Carney's on. At least in terms of who he doesn't want to win, I don't think he needs to say that'
OTTAWA — Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette launched her province’s election campaign by talking about the importance for Quebec to transform its economy in the face of the trade war with the U.S. because their old relationship is over.
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If that message sounds oddly familiar, it’s because it is.
That is exactly the message that Prime Minister Mark Carney has been repeating since the 2025 election that saw the Liberal Party of Canada get elected for a fourth mandate against all odds.
On Thursday, a reporter asked Fréchette if she was trying to emulate Carney.
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“My name is Christine Fréchette — and it’ll stay that way,” she said with a laugh.
Fréchette took the reins of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in April, succeeding its founder and longtime leader François Legault. The CAQ was expected to be wiped off the electoral map with the separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) poised to form a majority government.
But Fréchette took the bull by the horns, multiplying announcements in the province and adopting a new collaborative tone with Ottawa that led to the conclusion of pending deals with Quebec worth billions for infrastructure and major contracts.
Provincial and federal sources consulted for this story said that Fréchette and Carney have a “transactional” relationship which has benefitted both sides — showcasing Fréchette as a dealmaker and Carney as practicing “cooperative federalism.”
But they argue that Ottawa would be wise to take a step back now that the campaign is underway and let the different parties battle it out for the election on October 5.
